Former Bayelsa East Senator and founder of Silverbird Group, Ben Murray-Bruce, has urged President Bola Tinubu to bring more “mad men” into his administration to confront Nigeria’s longstanding economic and petroleum-sector challenges.
Murray-Bruce, who described himself as a supporter of the administration, said support for the government should not amount to sycophancy, stressing that a loyal supporter should be willing to tell the President difficult truths.
In a message addressed to Tinubu, the former lawmaker said Nigeria needed people who were “crazy enough to confront a broken system, step on powerful toes, offend entrenched interests and refuse to accept mediocrity simply because mediocrity has become normal.”
According to him, such people must be obsessed with results and willing to become unpopular if that would make them useful to the country.
Cardoso, Ribadu Cited as Examples
Murray-Bruce cited Central Bank Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as examples of what he described as “mad men” working to change systems within government.
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He acknowledged that there could be disagreements over individual policies under Cardoso but said the Central Bank had undergone what he called a serious reset, with discipline and credibility returning to monetary policymaking.
“That is one mad man,” he said.
He also acknowledged Nigeria’s continuing security challenges but said Ribadu had brought seriousness, coordination and strategic direction to the national security architecture.
“Ribadu is prepared to work, confront problems and take responsibility. That is another mad man,” he said.
However, the former senator said two such individuals were insufficient for a country of more than 200 million people.
Calls for Refinery Overhaul
Murray-Bruce urged Tinubu to appoint what he described as “another one” in the petroleum sector, adding that Nigeria needed at least two more people with the same determination to deliver results.
He said Nigeria could no longer continue to behave like a poor country despite possessing the assets of a wealthy nation.
According to him, the country produces crude oil, has substantial reserves and decades of petroleum expertise, while billions of naira have been spent on its refineries.
He described Nigeria’s long-standing practice of exporting crude oil while importing refined petroleum products as “economic madness of the wrong kind.”
He called for what he described as “madness of the right kind” to revive the country’s refining capacity.
Murray-Bruce specifically urged the President to make the rehabilitation and commercially viable operation of the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries a national priority.
“And please, no more excuses,” he said, arguing that Nigerians had heard enough explanations about turnaround maintenance, contractors, technical reviews, committees, timelines and money spent on the facilities.
“We want products coming out of those refineries,” he said.
Sets 325,000bpd Target
The former senator said where government could not efficiently operate the refineries itself, it should consider alternative structures, including bringing in world-class technical partners, private capital, restructuring or concessioning the facilities.
He said the objective should be straightforward: “MAKE THE REFINERIES WORK.”
Murray-Bruce pointed to the Dangote Refinery as evidence of what could be achieved in Nigeria, noting that the facility was designed for 650,000 barrels per day and had reportedly demonstrated higher throughput during performance testing.
He proposed that the three government-owned refineries should target, at a minimum, the equivalent of 50 per cent of Dangote Refinery’s nameplate capacity.
“That is about 325,000 barrels per day of reliable, commercially viable throughput,” he said, adding that the country should then seek to go beyond that target.
Wants Nigeria to Become Refining Hub
Murray-Bruce said Nigeria’s ambition should extend beyond meeting domestic petroleum demand.
He urged the Federal Government to position the country as a major refining hub for Africa and a significant exporter of refined petroleum products.
He also called for a more aggressive approach to crude oil production, noting that the Tinubu administration had set an ambition of moving Nigeria towards four million barrels per day by 2030.
“Mr President, find the mad man who will deliver it.
“Find somebody who considers 1.5 million barrels unacceptable when the national ambition is 4 million,” he added.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.